


Lady in Red

by shadowsamurai



Category: Waking the Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Romance, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-01
Updated: 2012-07-01
Packaged: 2017-11-08 22:32:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/448269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowsamurai/pseuds/shadowsamurai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A masked ball leads to a startling revelation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers up to and including Season 6, just to be safe.  
> I thought it'd be fun to take the characters out of their environment for a while, see what happened! Hopefully not too OOC.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm just borrowing things for a while and I promise I'll put everything back exactly how I found it when I've finished. Well, almost exactly how I found it. ;)

 

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He wasn't sure why he was there; masked balls, or balls of any kind, were definitely not his thing. But something had tugged at his gut when he received the invitation, and as his gut usually wasn't wrong, he decided to trust the feeling and attend.

Now he was wishing he hadn't. He felt like the world's biggest prat in a tuxedo and a mask that hid every identifiable facial feature he had, including his hair. He didn't know anyone at the party; well, he didn't recognise anyone, anyway.

He snorted at the sheer absurdity of that comment. "Of course you don't recognise anyone, it's a bloody masked ball," he muttered to himself before draining his third glass of wine. He had promised himself he'd stay until eleven-ish, to see if his hunch was right, and glancing discretely at his watch, he saw it was only nine.

"Great," he murmured, sighing and scanning the crowd for someone who looked remotely interesting.

WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD

She wasn't sure why she was at the masked ball; well, that's not true. Her friends from work - the female ones, of course - had persuaded her it could be fun, and she had silently agreed. Of course her 'boss' - her equal - had snorted at the absurdity of the idea, which made her want to go even more.

When the night of the ball arrived, however, she found herself nervous. She didn't know anyone, and even if there was a familiar face amongst the crowd, it was hidden by a mask. Her own face was completely covered, as was her hair, ensuring no one would recognise her. She had yet to decide whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Should've stayed at home," she murmured to herself, looking idly around for someone to talk to.

WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD

More glasses of wine that was wise to drink later, he was feeling very fed up. His hunch had proved to be false, and he'd had the pants bored off him by various people he didn't know, and didn't want to know. He was so glad he hadn't told anyone at work he was coming to the ball; he'd never have heard the last of it.

Then he saw her, standing alone, looking as lost and as bored as he was. There was something about the way she held herself that seemed familiar, but he couldn't be sure. One song was ending as he crossed the room, walking slowly towards her, and as he reached her, another song was starting, a song perfect for dancing to. Without a word, he bowed from his waist and extended his hand. She hesitated for a moment before accepting and silently, they began to dance.

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*Interlude – Elsewhere:*

"Do you think he went?"

"He'd better have. I used up all my favours to get those invites for them."

"I didn't know you knew that many people."

"I'm not sure I like you any more."

"You love me really."

"We could call him."

"And if he answers?"

"Erm, hang up."

"He'll know it's us."

"So what do we do?"

"Wait until Monday, I suppose."

*End Interlude*

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They stayed close together, as close as their masks would allow, anyway. No words were spoken, and there were no telltale signs as to who they really were. All they knew was that they connected on so many levels; it was like they were soul mates. He wanted to know who she was, but he also didn't want to break the spell, and his hunch was telling him that the precious moment he was sharing with her could easily be shattered, scattering across the floor like broken glass.

Unbeknownst to him, she was thinking the same thing.

When the song ended, they both hesitated before parting reluctantly. He bowed again, and she curtsied. It seemed so ridiculous to be so formal, yet at the same time it made perfect sense. Before they went their separate ways, he took her gloved hand in his and brushed the back of it lightly with his lips. He wasn't prone to romantic gestures like that, but it seemed the right thing to do.

If he could have seen under the mask, he would have seen her blush furiously, while smiling at the gesture. As she walked away, she wondered about the hosts of the ball. On the invitation, it stipulated that gloves must be worn, legs must covered, as much heads. Even eyes had to be unidentifiable. Every distinguishable feature a person had was masked.

As she left the ball, unwilling to stay any longer, she wondered if she would ever find out who her mysterious dancing partner was.

Across the car park, shielded from view, he was thinking the same thing about her.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

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"Good morning, everybody," Grace greeted the team on Monday morning.

"Morning, Grace," Stella replied, handing the profiler the obligatory cup of coffee.

"Did Cinderella enjoy the ball on Saturday?" Eve asked, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

"You didn't turn into a pumpkin or anything?" Spencer asked, taking his mug of coffee from Stella.

Grace smiled. "No, Spence, I didn't. I had rather a good time, actually."

"Meet anyone interesting?" Eve asked, a little too innocently for Grace's liking.

Her reply was cut off by Boyd entering the bullpen. "Morning, morning, morning…morning," he finished, looking at Grace.

"Have you been drinking, Boyd?" Eve said, staring at the policeman.

"What? No. Can't I just be cheerful in the morning without there being a reason? Ah, thank you, Stella," he replied, taking his cup from the DC.

"Good weekend, boss?" Spencer called as Boyd entered his office to deposit his jacket and overcoat.

"Yeah, it was okay," Boyd said, shrugging, but his tone of voice gave him away.

"Who is she?" Stella asked rather bluntly.

Boyd looked confused. "Who?"

"You're happy; we presume there's a woman involved," Eve clarified.

"We?" Body repeated.

"Yeah, me, Stella and Spence."

Boyd looked at the DI. "Spence?"

"Yeah, I'm with the women on this one, I'm afraid, boss."

"For your information," Boyd said, looking at the three of them, "I just happen to be in a good mood. That's allowed, isn't it?" Before they could answer, he turned to Grace. "Did you have a good weekend?"

"I did, thank you."

"Did you enjoy that ball you were going to?"

Grace's face lit up and her eyes sparkled. "I did, surprisingly enough."

"Meet anyone?" Boyd asked, sipping his coffee.

"Not exactly. Right, must get to work!" Grace wandered into her office humming to herself.

Boyd watched her go and then headed to his own office silently, closing the door behind him.

"Do you think it worked?" Stella asked quietly once they heard Grace's door shut too.

Spencer looked sceptical. "I don't know. Grace definitely had a good time, but Boyd…."

"Yeah, but if it was a masked ball like you described, they wouldn't have known if they did meet, would they?" Eve asked.

Spencer nodded. "Their voices, to start."

"What if they didn't speak?" Stella pointed out. "What? It's possible."

"They'd have known who it was," Spencer said adamantly.

Eve looked at him. "Are you sure about that?"

The DI looked at Grace, then at Boyd, and sighed. "No." He sighed again. "Dammit."

Eve patted his shoulder. "It was a good plan, but we've got no way of knowing."

"Not without getting into trouble," Stella added.

"Yeah, you can leave me out of that bit," Eve said, smiling and standing. "I'd better get to work as well. See you later."

WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD-WtD

Two days later, they were all studying the evidence on the board of their latest case. Boyd and Grace's good moods had continued, but the team had no way of proving whether it was because of each other or not. Grace was looking at a picture and suddenly she moved towards the board. A minute detail had caught her eye. Ten minutes later, they were all crowded round the computer screen in the lab.

"This is what Grace spotted," Eve said, pointing to a partial index of a car in the top left corner of the photo. "I've managed to clean it up, so we should be able to get a match from that."

"I'm on it," Stella called, jogging from the lab.

"Nice one," Spencer said to Grace, smiling.

The profiler curtsied. "Thank you. One tries one's best."

Boyd was staring at Grace as though he was seeing her for the first time, and at the back of his mind, he was aware of someone talking to him. "Huh?"

"I was saying," Eve said exasperatedly, "that once Stella's got a match for the car, you'll have a suspect. And if you could get hold of the car for me, I can tell you whether your suspect is the killer or not."

"Yeah, great. Thanks," Boyd replied in a distracted voice.

"What was that all about?" Spencer asked once Boyd had left.

Grace shook her head. "I have no idea."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All lyrics used belong to Chris DeBurgh.

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When Grace received a second invitation for another masked ball, she frowned in confusion. She had a pretty good idea that the team - minus Boyd, of course - were involved with the first invitation, somehow, but she wasn't sure what they were hoping to achieve. Had they set her up with someone? Was it the person she had danced with? Grace didn't know.

But the second invitation had a note on it especially for her. She didn't recognise the handwriting, although there was something vaguely familiar about it. It told her to wear the same dress as last time, but no mask.

"It's a masked ball," Grace muttered to herself, fingering the card. She jumped as she heard a knock on the door.

"Did I startle you?" Boyd asked.

"Yes, you did."

"Sorry."

"What can I do for you?" Grace asked, slipping the invite under a pile of papers.

"I'm off."

"Okay."

"Have a good weekend."

"You too."

"See you Monday, Grace," Boyd said, smiling as he left.

"Bye!" Grace called. When she was sure she was alone, she took the invite out again. Her slim reckless streak was telling her to go; this could be the chance to meet her mysterious stranger, as she assumed it was he who had sent the invite.

Decision made as to whether she would go or not, Grace collected her things and switched the lights off, a soft smile etched onto her features as she left.

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As soon as Grace entered the large room, she knew attending the ball was a bad idea. Everyone was indeed masked, as the name 'masked ball' implied; everyone except her. She had never felt so stupid in her life. She smoothed her dress down, playing with her purse nervously.

"This was definitely a bad idea," she muttered to herself.

"May I have this dance?" a voice asked, making Grace jump, and she turned to see a masked - of course - man looking at her, his hand outstretched.

Grace looked at him closely before shaking her head. "Sorry, I'm waiting for someone." She didn't know how she knew, but she knew it wasn't the stranger she had danced with before.

This happened several times, some more persistent than others, and Grace managed to find the amusing side to it all. She put it down to the dress, not the lack of a mask, although she hadn't received so many offers to dance last time she had attended a ball.

Grace was about to go home, disappointed her mystery 'suitor' hadn't showed, when she heard the start of 'Lady in Red'; the same song she and her stranger had danced to last time.

Then she saw him, heading towards her, and her heart stopped. *'No, it can't be…can it?'* she thought, her heart almost stopping at the same time he came to a halt in front of her.

No mask, and no words, Boyd bowed to her the same as he had last time and extended his hand. This time there was no hesitation when Grace took it, smiling gently at him.

*I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight  
I've never seen you shine so bright  
I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance  
Looking for a little romance, given half a chance*

Boyd kept eye contact as the song played, his lips never moving, but Grace knew he was singing to her silently, miming the words with sincerity.

*I have never seen that dress you're wearing*  
He smiled and shrugged slightly, and Grace just shook her head. The song wasn't exactly perfect, but then again, neither were they.

*Or the highlights in your hair, they catch your eyes  
I have been blind*

Boyd nodded slowly at that, as if he agreed with it emphatically, and Grace felt her breath catch in her throat.

*Lady in red is dancing with me, cheek to cheek  
There's nobody here, it's just you and me  
That's where I wanna be  
And I hardly know this beauty by my side  
I'll never forget the way you look tonight*

Grace leant forward and placed her cheek against the breast of his tuxedo jacket; she wasn't quite tall enough to reach his cheek, so his chest would have to do. Boyd rested his chin against her hair and breathed in deeply. They didn't need to look at each other to understand the significance of the song, the meaning it held for both of them.

*I've never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight  
I've never seen you shine so bright, you were amazing  
Never seen so many people wanna be there by your side  
And when you turn to me and smile, you took my breath away  
I have never had such a feeling  
Such a feeling of complete and utter love  
As I do tonight*

Grace pulled back, needing to see Boyd's eyes to know if he really meant what she thought he was saying, and when she saw his expression, she wondered how she could ever doubt him. Yes, he was a bastard with many problems, not least of which were his temper and fear of intimacy, but he was also caring and responsible, and in that moment, his eyes were shining with the depth of emotion he felt for her. Grace knew Boyd had never been more serious of anything, and that the song was his way of saying the words he couldn't.

She placed her hand on his cheek, the world melting away until it was just those two. There were still no words; there was no need.

"Aww, that is so cute!" Stella whispered to her two companions, who turned and glared at her, a difficult feat as they were all masked, but they managed it.

"So it did work," Eve stated.

"I'm not sure," Spencer said.

"Well it must have done if they're here together."

"Good point," Spencer replied, smiling and then realised they couldn't see him, so he nodded. "Do you think they know we had anything to do with this?"

Eve shrugged. "Grace, probably. Boyd, probably not."

"Wait, do you mean this as in tonight, or this as in those two getting together?" Stella asked, confused.

"This as in those two getting together," Spencer clarified.

"Right, so who is responsible for tonight? Because I had nothing to do with it," Stella stated.

The other two looked at each other and simultaneously replied, "I thought you were."

"My invite was on my desk in the lab," Eve said.

"Mine was on my desk too," Spencer replied.

Stella nodded. "Mine too."

The three of them turned to look at Boyd and Grace dancing, but the two of them were too wrapped up in their own world to notice they were being watched.

*I never will forget the way you look tonight*

Boyd shook his head and smiled, as if emphasising the lyrics of the song again, and Grace blushed. This moment she was sharing with him was so perfect that she didn't want it to end, and she was afraid things would just go back to normal when the song finished.

*My lady in red*

Grace raised an eyebrow at that, and Boyd just shrugged as if to say, 'Why not?' Grace shook her head; he wasn't going to change, but then she wasn't sure she wanted him to. She kind of liked him the way he was.

Then Boyd surprised her even more by putting his finger under her chin and gently tilting her head up, locking his eyes on hers.

*I love you*

It was the only time his lips moved all night, to mouth those three small words. Boyd wanted Grace to know he was serious. He wasn't exactly sure when it had happened - perhaps it was at the ball, perhaps it was sooner; all he knew for certain was that he *did* love her.

Grace felt tears prick the corners of her eyes and she tilted her head to one side slightly. Boyd moved his hand to caress her cheek and Grace leant into the touch. Taking this as encouragement, Boyd leant forward and brushed her lips lightly with his. But Grace was having none of that; it was a proper kiss or nothing. She put her hand on the back of his neck, holding him in place, and proceeded to show him what lips could do when used properly.

"Awww," Stella and Eve chorused.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Spencer muttered, earning him swats on both arms from his friends.

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"Good morning," Grace greeted the team that Monday.

"Morning," Boyd said, right behind Grace.

"Morning," the others replied. Stella handed them a cup of coffee each and they smiled their thanks.

"Good weekend?" Eve asked, and the look Grace and Boyd shared wasn't missed by anyone, including Spencer.

"Not bad," Grace replied.

Boyd shrugged. "Yeah, it was all right."

"Do anything interesting?" Stella asked.

"Not really. You?" Grace replied, looking at everyone except Boyd. She didn't trust herself not to smile sappily at him.

They had agreed that, for now, they would keep their relationship a secret, although if Grace's hunch was right, it was the team's fault in the first place, for setting them up at the first ball. Boyd had laughed and said Grace probably *was* right - she usually was. She had asked, 'And it doesn't bother you we were set up?' Boyd had laughed again and replied that revenge was sweet. Grace chose, wisely, not to ask what he meant by that or how much he really knew.  
Eve, Stella and Spencer all shook their heads, giving varying answers of, 'Not really.'

"Okay, I'd better get to work," Grace announced, heading to her office.

"Good idea," Eve said, turning to go to the lab.  
Boyd had just heard Grace's door click shut, and he decided now was the perfect time. "You three shouldn't lie, you know. It's bad karma," he said quietly.

Eve froze halfway through the doors and the other two stared at their boss blankly. "Sorry, what?" Stella asked.

"Lying. It's a bad habit." Boyd started towards his office, turning as he reached the doorway. "I know for a fact that the three of you were at a party on Saturday night, a masked ball to be exact." He smiled at them surprised expressions. "Don't ever do that again," he told them firmly, "but thanks." He shut his door, feeling very smug.

"I think the term is 'busted'," Eve said slowly.

Spencer nodded. "Yeah."

Boyd grabbed the phone as it rang. "Boyd."

*"What was that all about?"* Grace asked.

"Nothing."

*"It didn't look like nothing,"* she said. *"Was that your revenge thing?"*

"Maybe."

*"You knew, didn't you?"*

"What? That they set us up at the first ball? Yeah, a little," he admitted.

*"Did you know it was me?"* Grace asked, feeling a little betrayed.

Boyd turned to look at her through the windows, waited until she turned to him, and shook his head. "No, I didn't. It was during the case last week when you curtsied that I knew it was you. That's when I arranged for us to meet at the ball on Saturday night."

*"Oh."* Grace knew it was an inadequate reply, but she knew she shouldn't have doubted him.

"And I made sure that the kids got tickets as well, so they could see the result of their meddling."

*"Right. So why aren't we telling them?"* Grace asked, now very confused.

Boyd smiled. "They'll be so embarrassed that they were found out, because let's face it, they're not very subtle…."

*"Must have got that from you,"* Grace murmured.

"And they got their tact from you?"

*"Of course."*

"Anyway, they'll be so embarrassed that they won't want to know if we're together or not because that would be admitting they interfered, and they don't want incur your wrath."

Grace laughed. *"Incur* my *wrath?"*

Boyd grinned. "Yeah. You're scary when you're pissed."

*"What are you then?"*

"Bloody awful."

Grace laughed again. *"There was some twisted logic in all of that which I actually understood."*

"See? I keep telling you that you're the only who can understand me, Grace," Boyd said.

*"I'm a psychologist, Boyd,"* she replied. *"Understanding you isn't necessarily a good thing."*

"Why do you have to spoil things, Grace?" he whined.

Grace smiled at him through the glass walls. *"Get to work, Boyd. I'll see you later."*

"Dinner tonight? I'm buying."

*"Sounds good."*

"See you later, Grace," he said, smiling at her.

*"Bye, Boyd."*

FIN


End file.
